Layla McCay

About Layla McCay

A Diplomat's Guide to Book Smuggling: London, 1974. Bookseller Jane Beaumont has two ambitions: to see the world, and to finally be herself. So when she strikes up a friendship with a (secretly) gay diplomat and learns that his career is hindered by his bachelor status, marrying him seems like the perfect idea. All she needs to do is convince the rigid social world of the Embassy that she's a model diplomat's wife. Easy, right? But then Jane finds a novel about two women in love, hidden in the shelves of their Washington D.C. residence, and can’t resist tracking down the former diplomat’s wife, Frances, who left it there.

Upcoming Titles

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  A Diplomat's Guide to Book Smuggling February 23, 2027

  London, 1974. Bookseller Jane Beaumont has two ambitions: to see the world, and to finally be herself. So when she strikes up a friendship with a (secretly) gay diplomat and learns that his career is hindered by his bachelor status, marrying him seems like the perfect idea. All she needs to do is convince the rigid social world of the Embassy that she's a model diplomat's wife. Easy, right? But then Jane finds a novel about two women in love, hidden in the shelves of their Washington D.C. residence, and can’t resist tracking down the former diplomat’s wife, Frances, who left it there.

  View on Amazon: A Diplomat's Guide to Book Smuggling

Earlier Books

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  The Queer Bookshelf June 4, 2026

  We are in the middle of a vibrant renaissance of queer writing. But LGBTQ+ writers, characters and readers have been here since the beginning — quietly, defiantly, and persistently telling their stories — if you know where to look. The Queer Bookshelf is your guide to this essential queer history, and to its contemporary flourishing.

  View on Amazon: The Queer Bookshelf
• 
  Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling May 23, 2024

  *2025 Axiom Business Book Award winner and a Forbes Top 10 Business Book of 2024* A compelling look at the challenges facing LGBTQ+ professionals as they navigate their careers – with advice from many senior figures who have smashed their own rainbow ceilings. There are currently only four LGBTQ+ CEOs across all Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies who are out at work, and just 0.8% of Fortune 500 board positions are filled by LGBTQ+ people.

  View on Amazon: Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling
• 
  Restorative Cities July 15, 2021

  Overcrowding, noise and air pollution, long commutes and lack of daylight can take a huge toll on the mental well-being of city-dwellers. With mental healthcare services under increasing pressure, could a better approach to urban design and planning provide a solution? The restrictions faced by city residents around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought home just how much urban design can affect our mental health – and created an imperative to seize this opportunity.

  View on Amazon: Restorative Cities
• A Junior Doctor's Guide to the NHS 2009 View on Amazon: A Junior Doctor's Guide to the NHS

More New Books Coming Up

• Color to the People by Andrea Pippins · Feb 23, 2027
• Dirty Magic by Tatum Dallas · Feb 23, 2027
• He Always Comes Back by Elle Engel · Feb 23, 2027
• Longtime Listener by B.K. Borison · Feb 23, 2027
• Night Tide by Lexi Ryan · Feb 23, 2027
• Ravenous by Mark D. Freeman · Feb 23, 2027
• Someone Else's Daughter by Andrea Stewart · Feb 23, 2027
• The Archaeology of Falling Worlds by Megan Chee · Feb 23, 2027
• The Moth Reborn by Samantha Shannon · Feb 23, 2027
• The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Volume 9 by Beth Brower · Feb 23, 2027

See All: Upcoming Books ›